Integrating Ansible and Jenkins: A Beginner Tutorial

In the dynamic landscape of DevOps, automation plays a pivotal role in streamlining processes and ensuring efficient software delivery. Two powerful tools in this domain are Ansible and Jenkins. Ansible simplifies configuration management, while Jenkins facilitates continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD). In this beginner tutorial, we will explore the seamless integration of Ansible and Jenkins, unlocking a world of possibilities for automated deployments and workflow orchestration.

1. Setting the Stage: Installing Ansible and Jenkins
   • Before diving into integration, ensure both Ansible and Jenkins are installed on your system.
   • Use package managers like yum or apt for Ansible, and download the Jenkins war file for Jenkins installation.

Commands:

# Install Ansible
sudo yum install ansible   # For Red Hat based systems
sudo apt-get install ansible   # For Debian based systems

# Download Jenkins war file
wget https://get.jenkins.io/war-stable/2.303.1/jenkins.war

2. Configuring Ansible for Jenkins:
   • Enable passwordless sudo for the Jenkins user by modifying the sudoers file.
   • Create an Ansible inventory file and define hosts for the deployment targets.

Commands:

# Edit sudoers file
sudo visudo
# Add the following line
jenkins ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD:ALL

# Create Ansible inventory file
touch /etc/ansible/hosts
# Add hosts to the inventory file
[web_servers]
server1 ansible_ssh_user=your_ssh_user ansible_ssh_private_key_file=/path/to/private_key

3. Installing Jenkins Plugins for Ansible:
   • Enhance Jenkins functionality by installing the necessary plugins.
   • The "Ansible" and "Credentials Binding" plugins are crucial for seamless integration.

Step by Step Instructions:

• Open Jenkins, navigate to "Manage Jenkins," and select "Manage Plugins."
• In the "Available" tab, search for "Ansible" and "Credentials Binding" plugins.
• Check the boxes next to the plugins and click "Install without restart."

4. Configuring Ansible in Jenkins:
   • Set up Ansible as a tool in Jenkins to enable Jenkins to use Ansible commands.
   • Configure Ansible in the Jenkins Global Tool Configuration.

Commands:

# Navigate to Jenkins > Manage Jenkins > Global Tool Configuration
# Add a new Ansible installation, specifying the path to Ansible executable

5. Creating a Jenkins Job with Ansible Integration:
   • Start creating a new Jenkins job and configure it to use Ansible in the build steps.
   • Use the "Invoke Ansible Playbook" build step to define the playbook path and inventory file.

More Examples:

• Include additional build steps, post-build actions, and triggers to create a comprehensive CI/CD pipeline.
• Explore the integration of other tools like Git, Docker, and Slack for enhanced automation.

By successfully integrating Ansible and Jenkins, you have empowered your DevOps pipeline with robust automation capabilities. This tutorial serves as a stepping stone for beginners, unlocking the potential for streamlined workflows, efficient deployments, and improved collaboration across your development and operations teams.